Who Will Cry For The Little Girl
by AngelsForeverIntertwined
Summary: It's the summer before Amu's 17th birthday and her world begins to spin on a whole new orbit. I mean WHOLE new orbit. With her past coming back to haunt her and the future she's scared to see, secrets will be revealed and the gloves will come off. I do not own Shugo Chara! R&R please.
1. Chapter 1

_**Ok everybody, just in case you were wondering what happened to the old story, I deleted it. And I changed my username along with it to make matters worse. It just wasn't going the way that I hoped it would and I didn't want to keep dishing out crappy chapters to you guys, so I rebooted my story. I've changed a lot of the scenes, but it's leaning towards the same central conflict. I hope you enjoy this revised version better than the old one. The title of my story is based off a movie called **_**Antwone Fisher **_**and that's also where I got the poem below from, it's just gender-swapped. Thanks for reading!**_

_XXX_

_Who will cry for the little girl lost and all alone? _

_Who will cry for the little girl abandoned and all on her own?_

_Who will cry for the little girl? She'd cry herself to sleep. _

_Who will cry for the little girl they never had for keeps? _

_Who will cry for the little girl who walked a burdened sand?_

_Who will cry for the little girl? The girl inside the woman._

_Who will cry for the little girl who knew the hurt and pain?_

_Who will cry for the little girl that died and died again?_

_Who will cry for the little girl? A good girl she tried to be._

_Who will cry for the little girl that cries inside of me?_

_XXX_

Amu's POV

It was late December; I lay like a penguin on my stomach in the bed, waiting for my body to prepare itself to get up at 5 AM. I shifted slightly trying to free myself from the cold sweat I'd broken out into during the middle of the night. It was the same bad dream every night, but it never seemed to stop coming back each time. In the back of my mind I could hear Tsukasa's voice telling me the same thing he did every time I told him about my dreams.

"Our dreams tell us things about ourselves Amu-Chan. Maybe if you thought about it hard enough, you'd be able to figure out what it means to you," he'd always say to me.

Since I'd come to Seiyo Academy, Tsukasa had always been my figure of reasoning. I could come to him and tell him almost anything. Emphasis on the almost. Even if I was tempted to tell him about my life, I always resisted the urge. There were some things that people didn't need to know about me. Not even my friends.

It was 5:05 by the time I started dressing myself in front of the mirror, dissatisfied with myself as always. I had to adjust the size of my uniform the other day for the 50 pounds I'd gained during the time I'd been attending Seiyo. Neither my "mother" nor my "father" looked like either of them were about to go out and buy me new uniforms anytime soon. Especially not during the middle of the school year. I stopped buttoning my uniform shirt to poke at my potbelly. It was round and fat like one of those cartoon characters, my face was big, and my legs and arms were huge. I yanked at my tangled strands of pink hair and sighed. _If I just had that straight brown like Mama's and Ami's then maybe… Or if I had that pale white skin then I could… _But instead, I looked like a fat piece of shit.

I hastened to put on the rest of my uniform fast before I beleaguered myself any further. That was enough lowering my self-esteem for one morning.

I ambled towards my parents and Ami's room to fetch their clothes to be ironed. Running downstairs, I laid down the ironing board and began my tormented strokes with the iron against the clothing. By the time the clock read 5:45, I was done ironing the clothes, had wiped and polished everyone's shoes, and started on breakfast. The aroma of eggs, bacon, grits, toast, and sausage filled the air as I hovered proudly over my work. A groggy yawn - identified as a female's - almost caused me to jump out of my skin. "Amu-Chan, the next time you want to get things done early, could you at least be less noisy about it. You almost woke Tsumugu out of his sleep."

My mother came down stairs in her pajamas holding the railing and rubbing her sleep-glazed eyes. She dropped herself onto the living room couch lightly sniffing the air. "Yes Midori-san." Even if Midori was my mother I couldn't call her mother, not ever again. She just wasn't the mother type. And as for me and Tsumugu, well, we just kept our distance. After my mother met him, things started to change. A lot of things started to change in fact, but I won't go into detail about them right now. I could hear Midori sniffing the air like a dog getting in all the scents of the food I was making on the stove. "What're you making?" she finally asked.

I smiled just a tiny bit inwardly as I picked up the last contents of the food onto the plate. As I handed it to her, Midori snatched it out of my hands practically ripping my hand off of my wrist. She greedily smacked on the food as I watched her with my mouth wide open in shock and disgust. _Oh, why thank you Amu! You know you're just the best daughter in the world! You cook, you clean, and you even iron our clothes in the morning! Thank you so much, I appreciate you_, I thought to myself. Instead she shooed me away with her hands without so much as a simple thank you. I scurried up the stairs already used to the treatment and clutched my side feeling for the latest bruise rubbing mercilessly against the fabric of my button-down shirt.

I accessorized my uniform with my signature chain that held the small box for my guardian characters that were still sound asleep. I lifted up my leg warmers and boots and put on a wool cap. I took one last look at myself in the mirror, frowned, and zipped up my black jacket. I made my way to Ami's room and opened the door to find her yawning and rubbing her eyes cutely. I hated when she did that. I picked her up out of bed and placed her down on a chair to put on her school clothes and packed her book bag. While I monitored Ami brushing her teeth, the devil herself decided to walk in.

She leaned menacingly against the door of the bathroom, fixing her eyes toward me and I cringed just the slightest. Her perfectly creased skirt and wrinkle-free button-down shirt gave her an intimidating business look. A fiery look passed through those age worn eyes of hers. "I need you to baby-sit Ami today after school for me. Ami's father and I have plans for tonight." With a twist of her heels my mother exited the room and pranced down the hall with the echo of her clicking heels fading away. I could feel tiny hands covering my face and minty fresh breath tickled my nostrils.

"Don't worry Nee-san, I'll be good."

I smiled down at her only masking the disgust and jealousy that I had for her. It was 7:05 by the time everyone left the house. Ami-Chan's school bus had already arrived, Midori and Tsumugu had driven to work, and I was already on my way to school. When I finally reached the school, I realized I was 15 minutes early and decided to walk around a bit more. I took a moment to feel the warmth of the Humpty Lock around my neck. It was early winter and all the trees were shedding their leaves. I shivered from the sharp, cold winds that whipped against my bare skin. Out of carelessness I'd forgotten my scarf and winter leggings. No wonder Midori was giving me such a skeptical look before I left.

I stood underneath a nearby evergreen trying hopelessly to keep warm by blowing my icy breath onto my palms and rubbing them together. I looked up at the white sky watching as the pure white snow fell down beside me. I must've been staring at the sky for a long time; I never noticed the soft purring of the red convertible parked in front of me.

"_**Amu**_."

There was no doubt in my mind who it was when my head snapped into the angry voice's direction. My heart stopped beating for a moment when I looked into his beady, hateful eyes. "Y-Yes Tsumugu?" I tried my best to force an unwavering sentence but failed miserably. He lowered the car window all the way down and scowled at me while he slowly brought his hands into view. "What did I tell you about this?" he asked gruffly. He was mad. I could tell. I could always tell.

He was holding up my leggings and scarf that I forgot to put on earlier. I gulped, now I remembered why I forgot them. Trying to rush out of the house and get away from this lunatic. His seemingly playful eyes had changed into cold, stony lifeless green ones at the sight of my clothes. "I-I'm sorry. Just let me-" He snatched the clothes away from me with the same stony look in his eyes. "Get. In. The. Car." His voice left no room for argument. I hurriedly opened the car door to the passenger seat and sat down awkwardly beside him. "What did I tell you about this?" he stared me down and my body froze.

"Cat got your tongue, huh?" I shook my head and tried to snatch the clothes away from him again but getting the same result as before. I became irritated and snapped for a second not knowing that I would soon regret it. "Would you just give me my things? You blow the most trivial things out of proportion." His face turned from a scowl to disbelief and then blind fury. He grabbed my face and slowly tightened his grip on my jaw.

"You giving me lip? Huh? Huh?" I tried shaking my head but he was already loosening his belt as he spoke to me. "You think you can talk to me anyway you want? You think you're an adult? I'm your daddy, I tell you what to do!"

In the blink of an eye, he had ripped off all of my clothes until I was only in my underwear. He threw me into the backseat wedging me in between the floor of the car and his shaky legs. He discarded my chara bag somewhere out of the window during the scuffle and rolled them up afterwards. My head hit the seat with a loud thunking sound as his hand came down across my mouth, bruising it. I could taste the blood in my mouth as I looked into his angry, creased face.

_It's all my fault_, I thought. _I made him mad again. _

I remember being able to visualize the world collapsing in on itself. Building after building fell down like dominoes. Houses were uprooted and nature was diminishing by the second. There were people running and screaming for their lives as they waited for the inevitable. I could barely see through all the debris and turmoil I was viewing in my mind. His hands snaked their way all over my body until I felt numb and I could barely make out the world around me. Soon enough he had my underwear off and was making his way inside of me grunting while I screamed but to no avail. I remember feeling the wetness of his tongue over my body as he licked me like a cat. Sweat beads formed on his forehead as he perspired from his "_hard work_". It felt like I was a waste pool, a place where people freely shat in. My body was aching and I was shivering from the cold and trauma. I was screaming and could feel my lungs burning out from so much pain. I nearly passed out waiting for him to stop and trying to bring my swirling world back into focus. When he grew tired of my screaming, he flipped me on my stomach and continued his voyage inside of me. His body was pressed against mine and my face started to ache from the pressure he was forcing on my body and how hard I was crying. It felt like days would have passed by before he would've stopped.

_No, he never meant to hurt me. Not really_, I told myself. _He was just having a bad morning is all. He didn't mean it._

My face flashed with a million emotions as I gathered my discarded clothes and started redressing myself. He smiled in vain.

_XXX_

It was late, almost evening and the guardians meeting still had yet to commence. The clock on the wall read 5:38 PM. Tadase was being extremely aggravating today. He just kept going on and on about Guardian work and x-eggs for what seemed like forever.

"CD's with black diamonds adorned on the cover have been our lead to the mysterious activity throughout the school I…" The guardians had been getting antsy waiting for him to finally end the meeting. Yaya began stretching inconspicuously, Kairi kept readjusting his square rimmed glasses and closing his blue orbs tiredly, and Rima…well, she was just being Rima.

She sipped slowly on her hot cocoa like a true princess. Behind her flawless façade she was a mean, nasty beast on the prowl. But, for some reason everyone seemed to adore her.

"…we could have gone x-egg hunting, but Hinamori-san isn't here today. Does anyone know why?"

Everyone at the table exchanged looks with each other except for Rima who could've cared less. After they all shook their heads in unison Tadase brushed it off and dismissed them all. "Well, she's probably just sick. We can start our investigation tomorrow." Tadase gathered up his things and began to exit the garden while Kairi and Yaya followed in suit along with their charas Pepe and Musashi.

"You know, when I joined the guardians I thought it'd be more organized and straightforward with their message. I guess they hadn't expected such a failure of a Joker," the petite blonde remarked to no one in particular as she sashayed past the table flipping her hair.

_XXX_

Night had fallen over Japan and Amu still wasn't home. She never went to school. As soon as she could, she ran out of the car at top speed with her charas and found an alleyway to cry in all day. As she was nearing her house she could feel an overwhelming nausea when police lights flickered in her front yard. She grew pale with every step she took toward her house.

"Missing…didn't…school. Hasn't…all day. Little…hit by…in…street." From the little pieces of information that she was hearing, she couldn't comprehend anything that they were talking about. She walked into her driveway eyeing the scene suspiciously wondering why there were so many authorities outside of her house. When her mother caught sight of her, Amu could see the fiery rage lighting in her eyes and Tsumugu's scoff of disgust as he pointed her out to the cops. All of a sudden Midori put on a whole act and hugged her acting like she was happy to see her daughter while her nails were digging into her side peeling the bruise. "Oh, I'm so glad that you're back Amu-Chan, we were worried sick about you. Why weren't you at school?"

Amu gulped as she looked into her mother's hateful eyes. Tsumugu could be seen smirking by the threshold as he continued speaking to the police. Amu quickly averted her eyes. As Tsumugu distracted the police, Midori dug her nails deeper in to Amu's skin. "Y'know, I'm in the right mindset to half-kill you. Where the hell were you when Ami's after school program ended?" Midori asked angrily as she pierced her nails further into her skin while smiling in the face of the police. "N-Nowhere," she stuttered nervously, "I wasn't anywhere, ma'am." Midori squeezed her small body causing Amu to yelp slightly. "When the police leave here you better be ready to tell me the truth or be ready for the worst beating of your life."

Within a few minutes all signs of police activity had cleared and the three of them rushed into the house. As the door slammed behind her, Amu was already cringing at the foreseen events. Midori grabbed her by her collar and brought her face close to Amu's. "Where the hell were you?!" Amu gulped in fear, she couldn't find the strength to tell them what had happened. A lump caught in her throat and she could barely make anything besides gurgling noises in the back of her throat. Meanwhile, Midori seethed with rage. "I'm not going to ask you again. Your sister is in the hospital because of you you asshole! She got hit by a car because you decided to lollygag on your way home. I was in the hospital watching her on her potential death bed and you decide at this time to not speak! Now answer me. ANSWER ME!"

Amu's breath hitched and she could see the events of earlier this morning playing through her mind. She closed her eyes briefly trying to get the memories out of her head. Amu never saw her mother's hand come down across her face but she knew it was her when she opened her eyes to see Midori standing over her with her face red as a tomato in anger. Tsumugu pushed Midori back and grabbed Amu off of the floor by her hair. "Were you with some boy out there? Is that what you were doing? Now just think if you turn up pregnant you stupid slut." Amu shook her head feverishly while trying to find her voice. Tsumugu brought his knee up to her previously bruised side and made a swift kicking motion. Amu yelped in pain as he repeated his actions over and over.

Amu began coughing up large amounts of blood and she could hear her mother screaming things at her like: "You are an embarrassment to this family and a parasite! You've been repeatedly doing horrible things to your little sister for years and this is where I draw the line! I knew it was a mistake not aborting you when I could!" The words pierced like knives into her fragile heart. For a long time she had known of her mother's detest of her. She could feel her ribs cracking from the force exerted from Tsumugu's knee into her side, but none of that mattered to her. Midori's words had hurt more than any wound in the world. She cried even harder as she was being beaten.

Amu's crying finally ceased into heavy pants when Tsumugu decided he was done with torturing her and watched the blood seep into her clothes and hair. Her breathing was shaky as she looked into the demonic eyes of the figures above her. Tsumugu kicked her one last time and then dragged her into the kitchen. "You know, your antics are getting out of control," he said. "This jealousy is breaking everyone apart and you're really beginning to agitate me." He searched through the cabinets until he pulled out a thin box. He poured the grains into a small pile on the floor and gestured for her to kneel.

"Kneel," he ordered.

She eased her knees into the prickly grains feeling the sudden nerve-crushing pain shoot through her body. She panted still not completely done sobbing and refused to make eye contact with either of her "parents". She just hoped that tonight would be over soon.

_**Sooooo, was the remake better, worse, neutral? I'm trying to stay more on topic in this story and have important central characters and not so many miscellaneous ones. I hope you like it! R&R!**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Hey! It's me again and I'm back with chapter 2! Enjoy your read!**_

_**Recap:**_

_**She eased her knees into the prickly grains feeling the sudden nerve-crushing pain shoot through her body. She panted still not completely done sobbing and refused to make eye contact with either of her "parents". She just hoped that tonight would be over soon.**_

_XXX_

_Amu's POV_

I woke up the next morning feeling all out of sorts. My body ached with an unbearable pain and I barely felt conscious. I didn't expect the next morning would start off normal, but it was just as deceiving as could be. The birds chirped merrily like it wasn't freezing outside in their nests, the snow and leaves fell perfectly onto the ground, and people walked down the streets chatting with each other happily. Oh how I couldn't stand those people. My night was filled with taunt and pain barely giving me any time to rest. I tossed and all night trying to find comfort in my badly bruised body. My sleepless night was partially from the previous night and years before building onto this living nightmare. But even with the events going on outside, that was not what had awoken me. It was the overturning of my room.

Someone was in my room rummaging through my drawers looking for god knows what in them. The item must have been very precious because they were making quite a mess. I lifted my heavy eyelids to reveal a frantic Midori packing clothes into an abnormally large suitcase. I hadn't heard of a vacation and nor would one be available with the events of the previous night. Plus, it was nowhere near winter break and it would be extremely cold while traveling. And why wasn't she with Ami at the hospital?

After a while of thinking into Midori's back, she turned around with a scowl masking her face. It wasn't her usual one that she looked at me with. Something was different about this scowl she was giving me this morning. "Get up and get ready I have places to be!" I found this weird since it was the weekend and I was positive there were no classes scheduled for today due to the heavy snowfall. My mother would definitely not be working either, but I dared not ask any questions for the fear of another beating and trudged to the bathroom to get ready. Again, I should've paid more attention to the large signs of suspicion.

Pain shot through my legs as I remembered kneeling onto the grits for an hour. My knees were bloodied and the hot water running I'd filled the tub with was not helping the situation. Even the slightest movement of the washcloth against my body made me cringe and whimper in pain. I dried and dressed quickly to tend to my mother's mysterious needs. As usual I had not combed my hair and I looked like a psychopath with my hair sticking in 100 different directions.

When I was finally out of the bathroom, Midori held up two stuffed duffel bags that were packed and ready to go on my bed. My mother stood next to me, her ominous shadow sending shivers down her spine. I took baby steps away from her as she stared me down in disgust. "Pack up anything you want to bring along, you'll be gone for a long time." I wish I would've paid more attention to what she was she saying and not have been so scared and packed anyway. I wish I could've asked her what she meant when she said "I'd be gone for a long time". But I didn't.

She marched out of my room still seething with anger from the previous night. It was evident to me that Midori was still upset but, I didn't know to what extent. She did say she could half-kill me, which she did last night but what was she planning to do now. I briskly began to pick up valuables I had come to love over the years and packed them into my bag and glanced at room one more time not wanting to go wherever my mother had in mind. I pulled out a small box from under and opened it to find pictures of my family back when I was little. When everything was much simpler than it was now. I closed it and put it in my bag wishing I could go back to that time and stay there forever.

Once I packed everything into my bags, I walked down the long flight of stairs with little to no problem. Despite the pain in my swelling knees, I somehow made it to Midori's car in the nick of time. Now sitting down and buckling myself was another matter. When I bent my legs in the seat of the car, I could feel a burning sensation in my knees and I almost jumped and howled in pain. I wore blue jeans to cover my wretched knees and a red parka to fight off the cold.

I still had forgotten my mittens and scarf but, at least I could gather the little warmth I had from my clothes. But alas, even through the warmth I did have I still felt cold and empty inside. My mother backed out of the driveway and there was silence for the rest of the trip. I almost sparked up a conversation but then decided against it thinking that it would only reignite her flames. After a couple of hours of driving we stopped in front of a symmetric brown building with square-rimmed windows identical to each other on each side and a protruding entrance that formed a semi-circle.

A sign with a company name on it in black, bold letters shown on the building where I could barely make out the words in the early morning sun. Before I could actually adjust my vision from the cold winds whipping savagely against my face to read the sign, my mother pushed me into the building letting me stumble over the ramp and entrance mat. Another pain excavated through my body as the hard ground made contact with my knee. "Get up, I told you I have places to be!" she yelled at me for the second time this morning.

I could tell there was something different in Midori's tone this time she said it and I quickly caught up with her. I extended my hand out towards my mother who immediately jerked her arm away and smiled as I was swept away by two buff, foreign males. I remember wanting to scream out her name and wanting her to run after the men and take me in her arms and tell me this was all just a joke. But she didn't. She never did. I remember her smirking as I panicked and swung at the men holding me against my will. I was carried away and roughly thrown into a small, desolate room. I moved my head up with my parka covering half of my face. Pulling it down I could see the interior of the micro sized room.

There was an iron bed with no mattress lying atop it, two small dressers with lamps, a door leading to another room, and a tiny window with baseboards dangling from it. The room was an eerie shade of gray and gave me a feeling that was gradually growing inside my chest and taking over my entire body. I started panting with my eyes glossing over in shock and pain and I could feel darkness deep inside of my heart overcoming me. There was no denying everyone's feelings about me and I could no longer fool myself with anymore lies. Everyone had made it clear. They hated me. I pulled my knees up to my chest backed up against the steel door and began to bawl inconsolably. I would never have that life that I had back then in those pictures.

_XXX_

Ikuto was lying in a tree as usual listening in on the guardians again. His cat ears popped up at the usual sound of the kiddy king's voice. "Hmm, that's strange. Hinamori-san isn't here again today. How will we continue the diamond CD hunt," Tadase pondered out loud. Just then, a short girl with flowing blonde hair angrily clasped her hand around her cup and slammed it against the table. The tea from her cup sloshed around and created small beads of liquid across the table.

"You're saying that as if you've never dealt with these things before she came here," Rima rudely remarked. "You can do these things without her can't you? You've done it before haven't you?" Everyone exchanged glances as a light bulb went off in each of their minds. This was their first step in a long process of withdrawal and pain as they began to forget about their dear friend.

"I guess we can," replied the kiddy king, "We can start now over at the concert venue where I heard everyone talking about going this morning." Rima rolled her eyes as she got up with her chara Kusukusu giggling close behind. Ikuto watched her intently as his keen cat senses awoke every fiber of his being. He watched her bland, unchanging facial expressions, he could hear her making endless rude comments about everyone around her, and he could see the skeptical looks that she was giving everybody. "I swear I'm the only one here with a brain." Ikuto tuned their voices out and continued to think. Amu hadn't been in school for two days? That was strange since she usually had perfect attendance. Maybe she had just fallen ill and was too sick to go to school these past couple days. His mind went over all thoughts and possibilities of her absences reassuring himself that everything would be fine. When Ikuto finally relinquished himself from his thoughts, he could hear Yoru whining in his hear for the umpteenth time that day. "Ikuto-nya, I'm hungry can we go get something to eat? Ikuto! Ikuto-nya!" Yoru's voice rang through Ikuto's ears, but hadn't relayed a reaction in his body. There was only one thing on his mind. Amu.

The girl he loved to tease and actually thought that dealing with Easter would be better as long as she was involved with it had been missing for the past two days. That was all he could think about through Yoru's ongoing complaining. He wished he could've just ignored Kazuomi's instructions as usual and not gone to the impromptu meeting that he had scheduled. But no, he decided to be a good boy for one day and now his strawberry was missing.

But he brushed it off and decided that he'd just drop by her balcony tonight and find out what was the situation with her playing hooky lately. He would always find some way to tease her about it and not ask a genuine question about his concern for her absences lately. No, that was not the Ikuto way. He was emotionless, sarcastic, and nonchalant about things that people would show the most concern over. He could not confront her because he'd rather watch her blush and trip over herself trying to find a witty comeback to use against him. That was how he'd express his feelings for the clueless girl until he was finally satisfied with himself for the night.

As he thought more and more about the meeting, he felt nothing but hatred against those lousy scientists telling him about how he could use Amu to his vast requirements to locate the Embryo. Kazuomi had even considered Ikuto following her around all day. Something the blue-haired boy would secretly not mind doing. Finding a way to catch up on teasing Amu was always a must see event.

Kazuomi even gave him props for developing such a close relationship with the enemy and how he could now 'easily lead them into their trap.' Ikuto smirked; there were some things that even his stepfather did not know. And he was damn sure glad about it. He didn't need every good aspect of his life taken away from him by his stepfather. The more he thought about the meeting the more infuriated he became, if he had been there maybe he could have asked her what's wrong and worry non-stop about what the possibilities of her illness could be in secret.

Ikuto clenched his teeth together and balled his fists resisting the urge to choke Yoru and calmed himself, finally giving into his obnoxious pleas and went to grab a bite. He decided to handle his bothersome chara now and get him out of the way so that he could have enough energy to wander around tonight. He'd check on his pinkette later.

_XXX_

Everything was going according to plan. Coaxing that annoying pink-haired girl's sister out into the street was easier than he'd originally thought. She was constantly in the way of every plan that he attempted to come up with and constantly ranting about people expressing themselves. She had to be taken care of and fast. And what better way to do that then causing a family tragedy? Getting rid of that Hinamori girl would maybe set Ikuto's mind straight and back to business.

Without her, the guardians are rendered useless in our plot to finally capture the Embryo. She was the ringleader of that cursed pack of starry eyed group of dreamers. She was the heart, soul, and very foundation of everything that those kids had ever stood for. How could they ever function again without their leader? Staring out the window, he cackled to myself and sipped menacingly on the cup of coffee one of his employees had brought in.

"Is the coffee to your liking Director-sama? I tried my very best to make it precisely the way you like it." The young scientist stood there like a deer in front of headlights waiting for him to reply. His scowl deepened farther than it was already and wrinkles sunk lower into his forehead. Getting the message, she politely bowed, scurried out of the room at the speed of light. She wouldn't dare ask questions the next time that she stepped into his office.

Sometimes, he could be so maniacal he scared himself. He sipped a bit more on his tea watching the bustling streets of Japan. All of the unsuspecting bystanders unknown to the evil that was formulating in his mind. He liked it that way.

Yes.

Everything was going according to plan_._

_**So, did you like it? I hope so! I'll keep trying to update early for you guys! R&R**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**It's me again! How are you guys doing? I have to thank all of you fans out there for reading my story and sticking with me for the ride! Here's the next chapter!**_

_**Recap:**_

_**Sometimes, he could be so maniacal he scared himself. He sipped a bit more on his tea watching the bustling streets of Japan. All of the unsuspecting bystanders unknown to the evil that was formulating in his mind. He liked it that way.**_

_**Yes.**_

_**Everything was going according to plan.**_

**1 Month Later**

The pinkette's eyes wandered around the room scanning stealthily for every nook and cranny there was. Despite the monumental amount of snow outside, it felt like a furnace in her room. Beads of sweat trickled down her forehead as she wiped them off her brows in a futile attempt to stop them. She sighed heavily turning over in her steel iron bed. There had been only one thought lingering in her mind since the arrival. Death. People who think dying is the worst thing don't know a thing about life. It would come easy and there would be no regrets. It would be the first time of many to come that she tried to commit suicide.

The happiness and help they'd advertised had been far different than what she'd actually experienced. The nuns had called her evil and immoral so many times that she believed them and shaved her head bald to stop the evil from entering through her pores to her mind. Alas, she lay in that same position she had the morning of Ami's accident thinking how things could have been different and beginning to regret and take back new things every time. _Why can't I just be the good girl that mama wants me to be? _As the last question popped into her endless stream of thoughts a sob broke out from the depths of her hollow throat as she cried to herself shaking with melancholy.

Her time with "Tiny Houses" (**NOT MINE**) and the world had drawn to an end. She caressed her sleek head, letting the memories build up in her mind. The other children were in hysterics when they'd seen her, and though they tried to hide it, she knew that the staff had also been laughing at her.

Amu had not even tried to concoct a ridiculous explanation for her baldness. It wouldn't matter what she said, all she could do was wait until she got home to the tranquility of her "cell" to cry herself to sleep. That was all that she was worth. Amu's eyes clasped together sharply, feeling the pangs of hunger thrashing at her sides. She'd grown tired of food, and frankly, much of life. She was losing weight day by day, and even the nuns had become concerned, but she was worthless and bothersome soul as beyond help so they wouldn't care as far as seeking help for her. After a great time of thinking she knew what she had to do.

She remembered loosening the boards on her window the day she'd shaved her head and thinking of what she'd do when she escaped. She remembered imagining being able to feel the sweet release of her worries floating away in the cool breeze as the warm sun danced on her face. Freedom tickled her fingertips as she imagined what the outside felt like. Amu rose up from her icy bed and removed the weakened baseboards blocking the window. She climbed onto the windowsill dexterously and leaped onto the wet grass. Once her feet hit the ground, she could feel the coolness of the late night dew rushing through her body.

She roamed to the nearby river a few meters from the old, tattered playground by the building. It looked about six to seven feet deep. The pinkette stared down into the murky water hesitating as the frogs and crickets continued on with their nightly symphonies. _What was she doing? Should she go back to her room and deal with it? Would anyone care?_ She cringed as she remembered her mother's cruel words that night. Her fists balled and her mouth tensed, she was going to do it. _I'm tired of carrying around the weight of the world._

She turned with her back facing the water and her eyes closed. Her palms were sweaty despite the chilliness of the night. She knew the water would still be freezing since it had just started melting and no one would find her under the ice. Not that anyone would care though. She extended her arms out and let herself fall backwards into the icy water.

_Goodbye mina, I love you. _Her body met with the water and everything went black.

_XXX_

"She'll ruin our reputation if we keep her any longer!"

"Well we can't just give her back to her parents now! That would really screw up our squeaky clean reputation! How will it look if we can't fix someone's problem child into a young respectable one?"

"I'm out of ideas at this point, what would you suggest?"

"We'll have to aid her in her recovery or else we'll be screwed."

"But sir, you can't be-"

"I've never been more serious about anything."

"But sir, how will we ever be able to cover up a suicide attempt?! What if she spills the beans about what happened to her?"

"All the more reason why we have to get her better quickly."

The pinkette woke up to the sounds of loud, anxious voices. Her eyes fluttered open to the blinding white of an awfully sanitized room. Her bed was soft with an ample amount of pillows and blankets with thick balls of cotton in them. This definitely was not Tiny Houses. She looked to her side to see a plethora of machines beeping and monitoring her every movement. There were IV's and other needles planted into her skin.

Touching her forehead to wipe sweat, she could feel a ball of gauze sticking to a spot on her face with a peculiar liquid leaking onto it. "Aah, aah, aah! No touching the gauze. You got a pretty nasty gash last night from one of the rocks deeper in the river you plunged yourself into." A man - Amu assumed to be a doctor - was standing on the left side of her bed with a clipboard and a ball point pen. He wore a white coat and scrubs with dorky glasses that epitomized his awkward high school years.

Amu looked into the face of the doctor and quickly turned in the opposite direction. She knew what he was thinking. She was insane. What kind of person would want to end their own life? Tears began to brim at her eyes just as the doctor tugged on her arm to get her attention. "I need to run a few tests on you just to make sure you're doing okay." Amu shuffled out of the bed with comfy hospital socks on as he led her to his examination room. He placed a stethoscope on her nonexistent chest and listened to her heartbeat writing down things from time to time.

He pulled out his sphygmomanometer (**the thing that goes around your arm when you get your blood pressure checked**) and wrapped it around her jiggling arm also writing down notes. He put an otoscope in both her ears and went over her eyes with a small flashlight. He tapped all her joints and then placed her on a nearby scale measuring her height and weight. He finally led her back to her bed and then rushed himself out of the room. Amu sighed solemnly as she tried to block out the voices blaring through the doors of her hospital room.

"We'll have to place her in a psych ward. She has very obvious and very serious signs of depression. Her pupils are dilated, she was sighing a lot when I was examining her, she's been crying in her sleep every time I came in to check up on her, her weight tells me that she's probably an emotional eater, and the recent suicide attempt brings us all closure."

"You can't put a child in a psych ward, it's unconstitutional! She probably just needs to go to a school guidance counselor."

"I don't think that would work sir. Her condition is more severe than a mere meeting with a school counselor. We have to put her in a ward to at least give her a chance to live."

"…well if that's our only option…then we must."

_A psych ward, eh? Isn't that designated for crazy people?_ She thought to herself. _I knew he thought I was crazy… _In the back of her mind she could hear her mother's voice reciting those words over and over again to her like last night. _**I knew it was a mistake not aborting you when I could! **_Amu could see her standing there at the end of her bed mocking her, laughing at her pain. Calling her crazy until something inside her snapped.

She started sobbing uncontrollably not being able to hold back or muffle her cries quickly alarming the others standing outside and causing the machines attached to her to go off. There were three anxious faces standing at the foot of her bed looking down at her in fear. "What happened? Why are you crying?" they kept asking. Her loud sobs continued as her eyes turned red and her nose ran.

"I-I…I don't know! I don't know! I don't know!" The pinkette started thrashing her body around knocking down the machines and removing the IV's from her arms. The doctor ran out to get the nurses while the man and woman she assumed worked for Tiny Houses stood there watching her like a deer in headlights destroying herself. 7 nurses and 2 doctors had to come in and hold her down until they were able to knock her out with sleeping gas.

"I guess she does need a psych ward…"

_XXX_

The pinkette awoke to a dark room without any windows to allow light in. Surprisingly enough, there was still a window sill that you could perch yourself on. She was lying on a fairly comfortable bed with a dark gray pillow and dark gray blanket covering her small body. She lifted the covers off of herself and wiped at her heavy eyelids and let her feet touch the solid ground. The pinkette began walking around the emptiness of the room as the door opened letting in a painful amount of light. A wiry man with dark hair walked in not taking heed of her until he saw the empty bed and looked around frantically.

"Oh, you're awake. Let me turn on the light for you." The lamp on the dresser beside her bed lit up the dark room and she winced at the light. "Would you like to sit down?" He motioned towards the bed where he'd set up a chair next to it. Amu planted herself on the floor in the middle of the room. She wasn't about to take any chances with this man or any other. He sighed and wrote something down on his clipboard. Amu ran her fingers against the softness of her blue hospital dress. Maybe she should've sat next to him.

A loud noise cut in between her thoughts as she looked to see the wiry man dragging his seat next to her in the middle of the room. "I'm going to ask you a few questions. Just answer yes and no if you can." The pinkette shook her bald head and waited for her test to begin.

"How often do you feel tired and run-down?"

She thought to herself and thought about the whole month. "It's been a lot lately. Sometimes I don't even have to do anything and I'm already tired." He jots down some notes on a clipboard and continued his interrogation.

"Do you often feel that life is not worth living?"

All she could think about since the night of the incident was not being born so that she wouldn't be a bother to anyone anymore. What point did she have to live if she was only a hindrance to others?

"Yes."

"Does your mood take a turn for the worse as winter approaches?" _Anytime of the year really_, she thought to herself. "I don't know. I think so."

"Do you sometimes feel out of control and lose all good judgment?" Yeah, like just a while ago when we were at the hospital. I'm sure everyone told him about my wild breakdown.

"Yes."

"Do you try to avoid dealing with other people?" With all of the rumors that were going around at Seiyo she had to keep her distance. No one would approach her except for the Guardians. But that was for their own gain.

"Yes."

"Do you experience any delusions or hallucinations?" She hesitated and twiddled her thumbs against the fabric of her hospital gown. She didn't want to make the situation worse for herself. What if they wanted to run more tests on her? Amu could feel his hand creep its way onto her shoulder and she flinched automatically. He looked taken aback and then started on his clipboard again. Could she make this day any worse for herself?

"You know, if there's something on your mind you should tell me. I'm only here to help." She shook her head and dismissed his question. He sighed and flipped through some of the pages on his clipboard.

"Have you lost interest in things that you used to enjoy?" She hasn't sung in a long time, or wrote in her journal, or listened to Ikuto play his violin at night. His mini concerts had come to a halt and the calmness and stability that they once gave her was also gone.

"Yes," she shrugged.

"Have you been though a recent traumatic event, such as divorce, death of a loved one, or losing your job?"

Amu's body shook as she remembered the events of the tragic night clearly. She cringed thinking of her mother's words and how she'd reacted when she thought of them again at the hospital. She clamped her small hands around her ears and tried to block out the voices of the night. "No…no…n-no…" Her voice quavered with each syllable as she tried to put herself together. She could feel the psychiatrist's hand placed on her shoulder again and quickly yanked herself away from him.

"Amu, it isn't good to keep things to yourself. You can't handle it on your own. That's why you tried to hurt yourself. I want to he-"

"Shut up!" she snapped, "Just shut up! You don't want to help me. You just want to label me like you do every other 'special case' here!" she said as she made air quotations.

"But A-"

"Next question!" He sighed and scribbled something down on his clipboard with an aggravated expression adorning his face.

"In the last six months, have you gained a lot of weight or lost a lot, not due to dieting?"

"No," she replied quickly and bluntly.

The psychiatrist looked up in melancholy as he watched the small girl drawing herself in and away from the world. She refused help and soon there would be no hope left for her. He left her in the dark room to her thoughts as she slowly drove herself insane.

_XXX _

"Where is Hinamori-san? It's been a month since we've last had her at school." Tadase pondered loudly at the guardians table as the others gave him shrugs and nonchalant attitudes.

X-eggs, nor the Embryo had shown up and the blonde-haired grade schooler had begun to worry. What would become of the guardians if they had nothing to go after and research besides their school's work? What would become of the guardians if their charas had nothing to chara-nari for? When would he see the vibrant, cheerful face of Amulet Heart again?

These were the naïve, inconsiderate questions he asked himself instead of worrying about the heroine genuinely. He scanned the room foolishly hoping for his private cheerleader to come and reassure him that she was okay and here to stay. He wanted that cheerful, honest, and all-around perfect girl to come in and sweep him away like she had so many times before. Sadly, she was not and this was all truly real. He frowned and cupped his chin in the palm of his hand thinking.

"Does it matter?"

Everyone's eyes glanced towards the ice princess Rima.

"Excuse me?" Tadase grew wide eyed at the petite blonde. How could such words come from her mouth? Without Amulet Heart, where would the guardians be? "I said does it matter. Haven't you worked together without her before she came to this school? Why would it matter if she's here or not now?" The blonde sipped menacingly on her hot cocoa again as the room grew silent. She'd never been fond of Amu anyway, she always thought of her as a nuisance. The way she would go on and on about people's dreams and charas made her nauseous. She began gagging mentally as she thought about it.

Yaya banged childishly on the table near tears. "Yaya-chi misses Amu-chi!" Everyone could feel the tension in the air grow as Yaya really sobbed for the first time. Kairi, who sat next to her, merely grimaced at her. "You need not to fret, Hinamori-san will most likely be back soon. She, pertaining to my calculations, wouldn't leave so unannounced without a good reason." Kairi hid his blush behind his book as all eyes fell on him at the table. Sometimes he was glad for his robotic, nerdy personality that never let off any hints of emotion.

Tadase and Yaya looked up into each other's eyes and exchanged glances hoping and praying that he was right. It was Kairi and he was always right about everything, wasn't he? Rima sat at her side of the table not caring if she ran off a cliff. What had this pink-haired girl meant to her? Why was she so popular, why did everyone care so much about her?

She was a plus-sized, stuck up brat that ran around in a cheerleader's outfit always droning on about someone's dreams and heart eggs. She wished she'd never even signed up for the guardians anyway. The hassle of having her parents sign the permission slip was not worth it. What the hell was "Cool N Spicy" anyway?

She excused herself from the meeting seeing that it was five minutes to six. Her mother would flip out if she was late. "Excuse me, I have to go." She had not waited for a goodbye and scurried out of the garden as fast as she could on her short, stubby legs. Kusukusu popped up on her shoulder nudging her earlobe. "You know, you didn't have to be so mean back there. Yaya-chi was crying, isn't she your friend?" She glared at her cheerful chara.

"She and the other guardians mean nothing to me, especially _**Hinamori-san**_." Kusukusu could only roll her eyes at her jealous owner.

_XXX_

A blonde haired girl with bouncy pigtails lay in the bed of her medium sized room. She sighed wearily thinking about the day's workload and exhaustion. How much more would it take for Ikuto to notice her? When would he love her? Who cares if she was his sister? Love is love, right?!

She clutched her surrounding bed sheets thinking of the reason why. _**Hinamori Amu**_. She'd almost had him before that stupid girl ever entered his life! Now, that was the only person he ever thought about. She kicked childishly messing up the sheets on her bed.

Only she knew the pain Ikuto endured and did anything in her power to help him escape it. Still, he would never love her the way she wanted him to. A tear rolled down her cheek thinking of all the rejections because of Amu. A rage boiled inside of her just thinking about the pinkette. She sat in her bed moping while Hinamori Amu could be anywhere laughing at her pain. Her perfect porcelain face with that vibrant pink hair was etched in the back of her mind taunting her.

Ikuto had kept telling Utau about all of these sudden meetings with Kazuomi and she'd begun to grow suspicious of his whereabouts. It had been a month since he'd been able to visit her on tour. She rolled over in her bed thinking of him as she squeezed the pillow. Why was such a weak girl beating her in the battle for her brother's affection even when she was in possession of a part of her?

It seemed almost impossible the outcome of the situation. The heroine's diamond egg had been x-ed by Utau herself and Ikuto had been upset with her. She could never decipher his mind or identify his next move. Oh why did she have to love someone like Ikuto? She smiled shyly to herself thinking of his kindness at the most peculiar times. She stared up at Dia floating lazily above her.

"What, do you need another reading?" Utau smirked, much like Ikuto, and nodded her head. "She's still uncompromising with herself with many doubts. Her shine is dimmer than ever. Why are you so worried, she'll never win me back?" Utau's lips plastered into a grin as she laughed to herself.

She may have lost the battle for Ikuto's love, but at least she had something from the oh-so perfect Hinamori Amu. Dia's presence would always remind her of the battle lost by the proud and almighty Joker.

_**How was it? I altered a lot for this chapter because I felt that it was one of the crappier ones that I posted. I hope you like it! R&R!**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Hey guys! I'm back with a new chapter and yes it's very short. I just wanted to add this scene because I feel it's vital to the story later on. Here's chapter 4!**_

_**Recap:**_

_**She may have lost the battle for Ikuto's love, but at least she had something from the oh-so perfect Hinamori Amu. Dia's presence would always remind her of the battle lost by the proud and almighty Joker.**_

**8 Months Later**

It had been more than a while since her eldest daughter, Amu had been "put away." It had been nine months exactly since she'd last set foot in her home. Still, Midori was stubborn and brash with her decision to bring her back. Ami turned out to be fine, only minor scrapes and a couple bruises; she was released two days later after many examinations and x-rays requested by Midori.

Midori burned with an uncontrollable anger thinking of that night and how she should've done more and really shook her up. Nothing could ease her and everyone was aware, especially Ami. Why, she had been subject to one of Midori's outbursts when she had asked where her dear sister had been for so long.

_'She's far away from us where she can't harm anyone anymore, why do you even care? Don't you recall her hurting you?!'_ Her mother's eyes had never looked more hateful nor had her tongue ever been so sharp. Ami threw her shoe at the mirror and her mother and father had never been more infuriated.

Midori lashed out on her, giving a harsh scolding of safety rules and how they could have been killed. They swore and scoffed at her as she sobbed endlessly in her car seat in the backseat of that Lexus. These were not the mother and father she had come to know and she began to watch them quietly and stealthily. To Tsumugu, this was a sigh of relief not having Amu around.

She wasn't his biological daughter and he knew that her lousy father would never come to her rescue; she'd have to endure her torture a little while longer. He smirked just thinking of her screaming and crying in the middle of the night, he wrapped his arm around Midori.

Contradictory to her actions, there was still something the size of a melon swelling day by day in her gut telling her she'd wronged her daughter. Sadly, she paid no heed to that feeling. She was another pawn in this game of chess we call life, playing until another move would commence her insignificant being.

Ami had asked this question interrupting them for the third time that day in their silent inquiry; "Can Amu-Chan come home now?"

_XXX_

Amu sat up in her bed with her hands folded in her lap. Nine months. Nine months she'd been imprisoned in this hell and no one, not even God had shown her a kind gesture. Her hair started growing back over time and it reached her shoulders in a nice bob. It looked healthier than it had in years. She ran her fingers through it and growled. She'd probably cut it again soon.

A knock could be heard on her door as the pinkette had no time to even give an answer before the person invited themselves in. "Amu-Chan, dear, how are you doing?" Old, wrinkled hands placed themselves on her shoulders as the pinkette made no attempt at speaking. "Are you," the old woman scanned the room and closed the door behind her. "Are you taking all of your medication?" Amu gave a stiff nod and grabbed an empty pill bottle out of her dresser drawer. She placed it in the hands of the elderly woman who scanned it skeptically. Peering over her glasses, she bore holes into the pinkette's back.

"Amu-Chan," she said sternly, "I know you haven't been taking your pills lately. I saw you dump them into the ravine by the playground earlier." Amu turned stiffly to face the older woman. The pinkette snatched the orange bottle out of the woman's hand and glared daggers at her. "I don't need those damn pills. I need to be left alone." Amu pulled the covers over her head and lay down in her bed.

_XXX_

"Yay, yay! Going to get Nee-San. Yay, yay!" The five-year-old girl in the backseat of the car chanted cheerily for her imprisoned older sister. Midori smiled to herself. Even if her anger towards her eldest daughter had not yet ceased, she was still happy for the elation of her youngest daughter.

They were on their way to the home and Ami was beaming. As soon as Midori heard Ami ask for Amu for what seemed like the thousandth time she had to give in. How could she not? Ami had started another one of her whining fits. It didn't stop for an hour and Midori quit trying to stop her. Thus, they started on their way to get Amu.

She rolled up to the familiar symmetrical brown building and its shaded gazebo holding up its name. The scent of cleaning supplies lingered in the air and Midori wondered for a quick second if Amu was in there playing Cinderella with the other children.

The car door unlocked and Ami bolted out bursting with a newfound joy. Her mother's lips widened into a sincere smile watching her daughter buzz around happier than she had in months. Surprisingly, she was ushered in by two welcoming employees that took her to the release area.

A few signatures later, her eldest daughter was shoved into the lobby along with her luggage onto the floor. Midori caught a glimpse of her and almost hadn't recognized her.

She was as pale as a ghost like she hadn't seen the light of day in years, her hair was fuller and cut into a short school girl trimming. She was now wiry and thin and looked as if the slightest touch would send her floating into thin air. Her face had thinned out to the point where you could almost see the entire making of her skull, but there was an unreadable emotion faltering with her eyes.

Was this truly the little girl she had dumped off that same chilly winter night? She shrugged off the thought and walked past the young girl hearing her coarse, heavy breathing. "You alright?" Amu shook her head slowly, hastily picking up her belongings with Ami tagging along behind her happily. Amu loaded them into the car quickly, avoiding contact with either family member. Midori, trying to make small talk, attempted to get her to look up.

"Is that a new outfit?" Amu shook her head brushing her fingers against the multi-colored tunic and her purple leggings with black ankle boots. Midori sighed buckling her seatbelt not wanting to talk anymore. The pinkette stared out the window as the familiar wind of life and freedom ran through her hair and drenched her face.

The word freedom swept past her ears in the wind.

_XXX_

_Boom!_

A middle-aged man with light brown hair and a permanent scowl etched on his face slammed his fists on his desk. "Damn! We needed her. Goddamnit we needed her!" Veins began to pop out on his forehead when his documents fell off his desk. Attempt after attempt, he failed to capture the Embryo. X-egg after x-egg piled atop each other sealed in boxes.

Hinamori Amu, the prime factor in the equation, had gone missing after the Boss' stunt. It had come to his realization and his boss' that if no one purified the eggs that the Embryo would never reveal itself. Ikuto even found the Humpty Lock, which Kazuomi found no problem taking and giving it to Utau.

Still, it hadn't worked. The lock would only activate to its true holder that, most likely, would never return. He kept thinking that maybe, maybe if he knew that this would result that he wouldn't have gone through with the operation. Something even the cruel and deceitful Kazuomi had not truly believed would've happened.

Tugging on his perfectly pressed pants, Kazuomi bit his lip in frustration. Could it be? Was Kazuomi, the Supreme Overlord of Injustice beaten at his own game? He unclenched his hand from his pants leaving a small tidal wave of creases.

He slammed his fists against his desk again and swirled around angrily in his swivel chair. Kazuomi gazed out through the window and grinned evilly. He placed his hand under his chin as he watched a swarm of people bustling through the streets of Japan. He knew that the pinkette was a much too honest and kind-hearted girl to leave her friends for long.

He was determined to find the pink-haired girl.

No matter whom he had to hurt in the process.

_XXX_

An 11-year-old boy with midnight blue hair and eyes to match glided easily from tree to tree with precision and grace. It seemed as if he'd done it for the millionth time, but it was the only thing that would soothe his broken heart. He'd lost his spirit since Amu's disappearance and childishly returned to her balcony every day after school waiting for her.

It hadn't dawned on him that she was gone until he overheard a Guardians meeting stating that she hadn't been in school for a while and that her mother came to withdraw her earlier that week.

"She's gone. Get over it, nya."

These were his charas words when he'd finally admitted it to himself. _'She's gone_._' _Those words rang through his mind like an annoying alarm clock at six o'clock in the morning almost breaking his nonchalant façade. A façade he only broke around her. He hung his head low thinking of how he never got the chance to say goodbye because he decided not to rebel against Kazuomi and go to a meeting that night.

He could have consoled her and held her even if it would be the last time. His mouth tensed and his fists clenched. _Kazuomi_. All because of him he hadn't gotten to say goodbye to her or tease her for the last time. Since he had entered the young boy's life he had been nothing but a nuisance. It was a heavy load to bear with, but he never complained for Souko and Utau's sake.

Yoru hovered over his shoulder still nagging about food and foolish things as he usually did. Ikuto swatted him away with an aggravated hand. He narrowed his acute eyes on the house. Amu's house. Nothing again after nine months of his childish longing and praying for her to come back.

Something in his heart was bursting with anticipation of the moment he'd see her again. The moment he could hold her again. Smother her in his teasing. See her blush. Watch her sleeping face. Cherish his every moment with her as if it was the last.

_'How I should've done it.'_

His face relaxed into a more somber, pitiful look as he gazed out on the house. Ikuto took one last glance and headed back on his way to Easter.

_XXX_

A prince like boy with soft blonde hair and shining amethyst eyes stared at nothing in particular. A habit he had picked up since the absence of the former pink-haired Joker. For this reason, his chara, Kiseki, became very uneasy.

How could such a strong and powerful king alter himself so vastly after just one mishap? What would become of his subjects? Sure, children had left school and withdrawn before, but what was the difference with this student? Why did this child affect him so much?

This girl was special. He used her like a toy and yet, like the good natured person she was, she stayed by him. She encouraged all people and was so sweet to everyone even when she wasn't to herself. What both Kiseki and Tadase and the other guardians had yet to realize was that everyone had a breaking point. Even after the incident, all he could do was ponder when would be the next time he'd see Amulet Heart. His childish, unhardened heart had not let him realize that that was one of the reasons she could never truly like him. Tadase crawled into his sheets with his pajamas on and fell asleep.

_**Hope you liked it! Not much was altered so it's along the same lines as my first draft. R&R please!**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Hey guys I'm back with the fifth installment of my story and if any of you have been wondering where her charas went then this chapter would be a tell-all about everything that's went down since the first chapter to the present. Hope you have fun reading. Here's chapter five!**_

_**Recap:**_

_**This girl was special. He used her like a toy and yet, like the good natured person she was, she stayed by him. She encouraged all people and was so sweet to everyone even when she wasn't to herself. What both Kiseki and Tadase and the other guardians had yet to realize was that everyone had a breaking point. Even after the incident, all he could do was ponder when would be the next time he'd see Amulet Heart. His childish, unhardened heart had not let him realize that that was one of the reasons she could never truly like him. Tadase crawled into his sheets with his pajamas on and fell asleep.**_

**7 Years Later**

It was in these quiet moments of inquiry that I pondered the same question I had yet to answer; what was my purpose? My legs would branch themselves out into long, spindly slabs of meat following in suit with my scrawny, monkey wrench arms. My school in America was formed in the structure of a college with the exception that it was a high school for the highly gifted.

Throughout my entire sixteen years of life, ridicule had always found its way to me. I figured somewhere someone must have truly despised me (especially since I hadn't actually hit puberty until I turned 15). I felt half the time I was impersonating a girl instead of really being one. As I grew up, I realized my depression had only worsened since the incident and still I tried to, like the imbecile I am, tried to push it away not knowing that it would come to hurt me in new and horrifying ways.

My world was a perpetual yesterday of disparity. I cried myself to sleep at night and cried when the sun rose in the morning. These morning to night rituals increased to the point where I would look for a place to weep without anyone's authoritative implements on my mental state. My past forever haunted me and I had dragged it along with me everywhere and blamed myself for any misfortune hovering my 'family.'

I sat up abruptly in the corner of my dorm room on the floor feeling the foreign taste of it on my tongue. Without notice, I'd taunted myself for a very long time watching families pass by as I walked to and from campus. Children skipping merrily against the freshly grounded tar, mothers pulling them into warm embraces for no other reason but love, siblings fighting over the pettiest of things, and fathers watching over them through their stony, protective eyes.

Family.

This was what it was. What I wanted it to be. Instead, I watched it crumble and deteriorate before my eyes not noticing any of it until it had finally settled. Sometimes, I'd sit on one of the park benches during our lunch break and watched these structured, orderly groups (that seemed to be everywhere but within my own vicinity) work together. I can't think of anything I'd rather have more than somebody loving me.

In the back of my mind I would always wonder what had weakened mine. Was it something they'd had problems with before? Had my brother and I not listened enough with our parents together? These thoughts had always led me to one answer: my existence.

I don't know why I had to be born and ruin things like I do, I just can't help it. And this is when I curl up into a ball and cry to myself in the privacy of my room.

My mother and father had been high school sweethearts. They'd entered college together and my brother, Tai, was born. He was an unusual tanned shade of caramel, a rarity for Japanese descendants, yet he sparkled with promise and was the only one they had an eye for. Sadly, three years later came along me. The mistake. The baby they'd never planned. The responsibility they never wanted. The child that made them lose it all.

I was too young to know about the love they'd previously had and how it was slowly fading. My father's ambition to start his own industry. My mother's dream to become a truth busting attorney. Their hopes and dreams had to be put on pause because of me. Because of my existence they had to stop their dreams. Because of me their love died out like a flickering flame.

They filed for divorce when I was four and I wept silently to myself. Tai now lived with my father in the United States (who both wanted nothing to do with me since the divorce), and me left with my mother in Japan. When I was six she married Tsumugu and had Ami. I couldn't watch so I ran out in the street in my bridesmaid gown and cried in an alley.

For once, I was happy that my family did not care about me and left me where I was.

When I turned eight I began schooling at Seiyo, but alas, I was still seen as the useless, unwanted middle child. Then it all had come so fast, I could feel my breathing and my heartbeat accelerating and becoming more rapid just thinking about it. I'd gotten caught up in Easter and the guardians and the past seemed to latch onto me like a safety belt. I was hopelessly abused and taunted by Tsumugu and lived in fear ever since. I lived in a world of shame. I hid my bruises as if they were evidence of crimes I had committed. I didn't tell Mama. I couldn't tell Mama. Sometimes I couldn't sleep thinking of what he'd do to me next. My dreams were filled large hands and long fingers creeping around doorframes and lurking in the shadows. There hasn't been a time when I haven't thought of that tragic day.

No, he never meant to hurt me. Not really, I told myself. But more and more those hands seemed to move before he could think. My mother had no clue, but I could see her anger increasing towards me. I had heard her and my grandmother bad mouth me for so long that I'd begun to believe in everything they'd said about me. And I began to hate her. It wasn't until after a while that I realized I only hated myself for not being able to tell anyone. I no longer had a voice and Tsumugu knew his ways around manipulating me. They both were always gone when these things happened, Midori and Ami that is. He'd always find a way to beat me. The rug was in the wrong place, someone's coat was on the floor, or things weren't assorted the way they should've been and etcetera.

But I'd always comply, letting his belt fly up and down my thighs as welts and bruises formed. I'd flinch when the belt was in midair coming for me. I hated every second of it as he cornered in between the sink and bathtub with my shirt over my head beating me like there was no tomorrow. I'd always be limping from new bruises or having to kneel on grits. There was never a placid moment for me. I could hear him in the back of my mind saying things like "I'm only doing this because I love you!" or "Somebody's got to love you enough to teach you someday!" That was not the kind of love I wanted. I avoided him as best as I could along with the rest of my family.

I'd even created a face to ignore my family. A face I still kept up to attempt to block out the negative surrounding me. I was detested by both sides of my 'family' and labeled as the 'bad child' on both sides. Still, I tried to prove to them I wasn't and I acted rashly and failed. I guess everyone had reached their melting point with Ami's incident and now made their disgust with me visible (as if it already wasn't), not hidden within those four private walls in which they conversed about me.

Though I tried to hide it, this weight dragged me down even farther than I already was and swallowed me in a never ending world of pain. My mouth tightened into a fine shut line and my personality altered even more. I knew it was for real this time, no take backs no re-do's. I had hurt Ami badly and there was nothing I could do to reverse it. That's why I lost all of my charas at the home. With so much negativity, how could I believe in a better me or even my would be self? I had useless, childish things lagging me and I knew at some point they had to stop. I just didn't know it would be so soon. I guess me and Utau were just alike in some ways. After a few months at the home with me, I found Eru back in her egg one morning. I've been alone ever since.

I always held back the tears as I watched my father leave me summer after summer behind with my mother since I turned 11. Some things were not possible in this world. Children did not have two parents who refused to love them. One, maybe, but for pity's sake, not two. Now, silence was my only friend and sometimes, even he got annoying. My only outlets were my work. I had mastered the technique of closing off any necessities dealing with my heart, never growing to attached to things for change was always near. The transition from to joy to darkness, child to the mature, and stone to heart made it difficult for me to forget and do away with things. Yet I knew that there was always one person that I would never be able to remove from my heart.

Tsukiyomi Ikuto.

Oh god, how could you not fall in love with him when you saw him? His tantalizing features wrapped you in, his shimmering midnight blue eyes that showed no emotion and could melt you right on the spot, his hair identical to his eyes looked soft and easy to manage and ruffle, he had a lean slightly tanned body that anyone would fawn over, and what you'd love most about him was his nonchalant, uncaring attitude that would quickly change if you were in need.

I remembered his visits to my balcony and how he'd stay the night and comfort me secretly and talk to me until I fell asleep. He was sweet even in his own sly, alley cat ways. I brought my knees to my chin in a fetal position as tears came to my eyes. I missed my chance with him, I tricked and told myself that I was in love with Tadase and hurt him. How could I have been so stupid? And I found that my heart was not ready to let go of him. He was my first love, how could I? Still, I had to face every day with a poker face.

Bullying was always a problem for me and I still didn't know how to deal with it. I was just happy for the peace I could give to my parents by studying abroad far, far away from them for most of the year.

I packed the rest of my belongings into my bag and headed for the airport. I was going 'home.'

_XXX_

**Ami's P.O.V.**

My sister, Amu-Chan, had suffered all the burdens and accusations of my family and her own. Now, at the age of 12, I understood why she had chosen to study abroad in an elite school; to slip away from some of the pressures she endured here with her 'family,' in her 'home.' Although I didn't know the entire situation and how it all panned out, I knew she was hurting from a place deep inside of her building over years of the harsh reality of the world.

She only came down when she had to and even then, she weaned out her hours so far to where she only had to come home for sleep. I noticed changes when she returned home that day from the tall, brown building others had yet to identify.

Besides her wiry body, and stronger abnormal pink hair, I had seen something no one else had. Her eyes. Those once vibrant orbs of honey dimmed and shut out all life in them. She was not allowed near me. Not to touch, talk, feed, play with, or watch. I could see the impact it made on her. The load she was carrying was more visible than ever and sometimes, I heard her crying in the night. I didn't know why all of this had come into fruition, but I wish I could help in some way. I wish she would confide in me. I know it should be the other way around but I just don't think that she's stable enough to help me in anyway. She doesn't even talk to me nor take a glance at me.

Amu was the best person in the world. She was kind-spirited, loving, and most of all forgiving. Traits I loved about her. Traits I tried hard to gain. A person I strived to be. I collected myself in my room as a series of knocks landed on my door. I could not let my mother and father see me mourning over Amu. I had to hide the fact I loved her from the woman who birthed her.

_XXX_

Somewhere in northeastern Europe, a boy with flowing purple waist length hair had stretched his limbs during his daily morning stretch. He'd traveled the world dancing with a no-nonsense mother not far behind mentoring him. These travels began with hopes and dreams of a star being born. But alas, even stars carried a little dust. After the first weeks of grueling practice hours it had become a tedious task. Sometimes, even a regretting one. He'd left his best friend back at home without a proper goodbye.

Though none but a few souls knew, he had not told the person it mattered to the most. On the contrary, his sudden disappearance was all in all for a good cause. He was not ready to tell Amu goodbye because he knew the guilt that would follow and surface after it. Nor could he tell her his darkest secret and maybe that's why he was holding back s much from other things. Not being able to tell his best friend his true identity. Now that guilt would only seep deeper inside him. She was gone. Not to return. Away forever. The letter he'd received from Tadase still shocked and stunned him to this day.

The worst part was that she had no return address like mail; she could go to wherever she pleased and not return. He felt like someone had punched him in his stomach. Why hadn't he told her when he could? Why couldn't he have stayed and maybe prevented this? The graceful purple-haired boy glided across the room on the balls of his feet. He regretted not being able to face the facts as a man should. But he'd spent so many long years inside a girl's body, how could he know how to be a man?

Still, he believed he had to find himself before he could even approach her again. Even then, said pinkette had yet to discover herself. He lowered himself onto the ground and closed his eyes done with his morning routine. He sighed in exhaustion with a smile indented in his heart. _When I'm ready Amu-Chan, this time for sure I'll tell._

_XXX_

Sanjou stood by the window of her high-rise apartment watching over Japan. Watching with hidden high hopes that the obnoxious pink-haired girl would be spotted through the bustling crowds. She readjusted her glasses with the tip of her finger. She had to admit. She'd underestimated the Joker. Fleeing on a whim and stopping Kazuomi's cruel and unjust plans. She had some nerve. At first it had angered her, that stupid girl stopping the search for the Embryo and holding her job on the line.

Surprisingly, it later softened into understanding.

She was able to escape their clutches unlike the unfortunate Utau and Ikuto. Amu was free of the evil power lust of Kazuomi. No longer was he supreme. He, Kazuomi, was now the pawn in the chess match, the game the girl Sanjou assumed to be playing all along unaware of the effect.

In hopes of her return, there was mass production of x-eggs. With each batch, their hopes drained until there was no more left. Even with Utau being the new owner of the Humpty Lock, purification could not take place. Kazuomi had finally met his match.

Sanjou-san smiled to herself as she crept back into the bedroom. Maybe having Hinamori Amu around wasn't such a bad idea after all.

_XXX_

**Utau's P.O.V.**

"Dia-san, what's her stand point now?" I turned over on my striped beach towel tanning my back evenly in the noon beach sun peering at the guardian chara. She was sipping idly from a long, twisty straw on some pink lemonade. Summer had hit like the plague and it was scorching outside, perfect for my tanning process. So, like any other person not wanting to waste money on cheap tanning I decided to go to the beach.

"She's uncompromising with herself and believing many doubts. Her shine is dimmer than ever. She'll never earn me back." The words of my arch nemesis' x-chara came out flatly and uncaring towards her bearer. Dia had been deprived of her for so long that she could barely make out her face if asked. If only I could forget it. That face had been the sign of an overtaking of my life. How dare she walk into Ikuto's life and act like she owned and knew everything about him. It was me who'd been with him through all those years. It was I who knew all of Ikuto's pain.

It was I that Ikuto was supposed to fall in love with, not that agitating Hinamori Amu. Still, my lips wrinkled into a grin. I hadn't intended to give up; I would continue this battle until Ikuto was mine. Phase one had already been completed and now everything else would fall into place. That is if she ever decided to show her face around Japan ever again.

Iru hovered over me probably wanting to character transform and annoy me again today. She'd become gloomy and not in the usual way she would be. But I didn't care as long as I had Dia I'd be set. I didn't need Iru anymore and she knew it. She'd become an extra just like her former counterpart Eru. She was a weak and useless side of me that I used to embrace fully. Now I can't even understand why. I never noticed how much the both of them had been setting me back. I shooed her away again, her presence pestering me, and watched her float towards the mid-day sun.

_**Oooooh, Amu's returning to Japan! I wonder how the events of the next chapter will play out. R&R please!**_


End file.
